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Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
GWERU City Council has successfully installed four water pumps to pump water from the Gwenhoro water treatment plant to residents.
The pumps were purchased by the Government in July at a cost of US$400 000.
However, the water situation in the city, according to the mayor, Councillor Josiah Makombe, will only improve when high lift pumps are installed to pump water from Amapongobwe Dam to the water treatment plant.
Currently council is pumping raw water from Gwenhoro Dam which is drying up and will soon be decommissioned by the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa).
However, adjacent to Gwenhoro Dam is Amapongobwe Dam which the city fathers say is 72 percent full but is in need of the high lift pumps to pump raw water to the water treatment plant.
Council has said it needs three high level pumps and was availed $7 million by the Government to purchase them so that they assist to pump raw water from the dam to the treatment plant before it is released for consumption or use by residents and stakeholders.
In an interview ahead of the official commissioning of the four pumps that were installed at Gwenhoro water treatment plant tomorrow by the Minister of Local Government and Public Works, July Moyo, Clr Makombe said his council with the assistance from the Government was making great strides in addressing the water challenges bedevilling the city.
“We have a handover ceremony of the four water pumps by the Minister (July Moyo) to the city council on Thursday. These four water pumps were purchased by the Government for US$400 000 and the Minister will be here to commission them.
“These pumps which are being commissioned are the ones that pump treated water from Gwenhoro water treatment plant to the residents and stakeholders,” he said.
Clr Makombe said council has already paid a deposit for the pumps using the $7 million grant from the Government and delivery is expected in early December.
“The water situation will remain critical for us until and when these high lift pumps are installed. That is when our water problems will be over.
“The good thing is we have a mechanism in place from the already installed four pumps as we await the high lift pumps. Council used the $7 million from Government to purchase the high lift pumps,” he said.
Online Reporter